Verbascum plant named ‘Honey Dijon’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Verbascum  plant characterized by short branched flowering stems of numerous gold colored flowers with purple centers.

Botanical classification: Verbascum hybrid ((phoeniceum×dumulosum)×phoeniceum)).

Variety denomination: ‘Honey Dijon’.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbascum hybrid, and given the cultivar name ‘Honey Dijon’. Verbascum is in the family Scrophulariaceae.

This new cultivar originated from a cross between Verbascum ‘Jackie’ (an unpatented plant) as the seed parent and an unnamed selection of Verbascum phoeniceum as the pollen parent. Verbascum ‘Jackie’ is an unpatented plant originating from a cross between Verbascum phoeniceum and Verbascum dumulosum.

This new Verbascum hybrid is unique in its gold flower color combined with its Verbascum ‘Jackie’-like compact habit and short, multiple flowering stems.

This plant is characterized by the following:

-   -   1. Large fold flowers with dark eyes.     -   2. Numerous upright flowering stems.     -   3. Compact habit.     -   4. Short flowering stems.     -   5. Excellent vigor.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (division and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by division and tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques with terminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The photograph shows a close up of Verbascum ‘Honey Dijon’ growing in the ground in the trial fields in full sun in July in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Verbascum selection based on observations of one-year-old specimens in the ground in full sun under typical outdoor conditions in the field in Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95 degrees F. in August to an average of 32 degrees F. in January. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year. The color descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart.

-   Plant:     -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Form.—Clumping basal rosette.         -   Hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zones 5-9.         -   Size.—11 cm tall and 40 cm wide, not including             inflorescence.         -   Vigor.—Excellent.         -   Roots.—With one main tap root, and many fibrous lateral             branches, White 155A.         -   Stem.—Much congested, 1 cm deep and wide with no space             between internodes. -   Leaf:     -   -   Type.—Simple, evergreen.         -   Arrangement.—Basal, with 35 to 40 leaves.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Blade size.—Grows to 16 cm long and 6.3 cm wide.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Margins.—Irregularly crenate overall and toothed near base.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse to oblique.         -   Surface texture.—Leathery, soft, with stellate and             velutinous hairs on both sides.         -   Petiole description.—6 to 11 cm long and 8 mm wide,             eye-shaped in cross section, with stellate and velutinous             hairs, Yellow Green 145A to 145C with a pinker color up the             middle, Greyed Purple 186C.         -   Leaf color.—Topside — Deep green. Closest to Green 147A with             a prominent main vein, Yellow Green 145A to C with a pinker             color in the middle, Greyed Purple 186C. Bottom side —             Yellow Green 147B. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Panicle with 4 side branches.         -   Number.—Up to 8 panicles per plant in the first flush.         -   Size.—Each panicle is up to 9 cm wide and 48 cm high.         -   Cauline leaves.—10 to 12 in number, 1.4 to 12 cm long             (including petiole on lower leaves, upper leaves sessile)             and 1.5 to 4 cm wide, decreasing in size as the go up the             stem.         -   Flower number.—About 300 flowers per panicle.         -   Peduncle description.—60 cm tall, 7 mm wide near the base,             stellate tomentum below flowers and glandular where flowers             are present, Yellow Green 146A.         -   Pedicel description.—1.5 cm long, with glandular hairs,             Yellow Green 146C.         -   Bloom time.—July through August in Canby, Oreg. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Size.—1.1 cm. wide and 0.7 cm. deep.         -   Description.—Pentagonal cushion.         -   Surface.—Glandular pubescent.         -   Color.—Greyed Purple 183A when small to Greyed Orange 174A. -   Flower:     -   -   Type.—Perfect, complete, irregular.         -   Shape.—Rotate, irregular, short tubular.         -   Size.—3 cm wide and 1.1 cm deep including stamens.         -   Color.—Gold, Yellow Orange 22A with a purple eye, Greyed             Purple 187B, with some Greyed Orange 174A on backs.         -   Corolla.—Petal description — 5 lobes, broadly obovate,             margin entire, tip obtuse, base cuneate. Size — 3 cm wide             and 0.4 cm deep. Surface — Backs glandular.         -   Calyx.—Sepal description — Stellate, with 5 lobes, each lobe             lanceolate with entire margins and an acuminate tip. Size —             Grows to 1.2 cm. wide and 0.2 deep. Surface — Glandular             pubescent on both surfaces. Color — Yellow Green 146A on             both upper and lower surfaces.         -   Stamens.—Number — 5. Filaments — 0.7 cm long, Yellow Orange             14A at base Greyed Purple 187B for the rest, heavily bearded             Purple 77A on lower two stamens and Purple 77A topped with             White 155A on upper three stamens. Anthers — Kidney shaped.             Greyed Purple 187A on top and Greyed Orange 163C to D on the             bottom, 2 mm long. Pollen — Orange 24A, abundant in             quantity.         -   Pistil.—Number — 1. Size — 1.1 cm long. Style color — Greyed             Purple 185A. Stigma — blunt, Yellow Green 146C. Ovary —             Yellow Green 146C.         -   Fragrance.—None. -   Fertility: Female sterile, no fruit or seed produced. -   Disease: All Verbascum are subject to root rots in poorly drained     soil. Powdery mildew is also a problem. Verbascum are susceptible to     caterpillars.

COMPARISONS

This new cultivar is very similar in growth habit and flowering habit to Verbascum ‘Jackie’ (an unpatented plant). The greatest difference is the flower color.

Verbascum ‘Jackie’ is described as having copper colored buds that open to pale peach colored flowers and lavender stamens. The new cultivar Verbascum ‘Honey Dijon’ has maroon to brown buds and gold colored flowers. The foliage of the new cultivar is larger.

Compared to the pollen parent, Verbascum phoeniceum, the new cultivar has shorter flowering stems, larger leaves and flowers, longer bloom time, longer life span, and gold rather than pink colored flowers. 

1. A new and distinct variety of Verbascum plant as herein illustrated and described. 